Combined quilting-frame and curtain-stretcher.



T. & J. T. LEWIS.

COMBINED QUILTING FRAME AND CURTAIN STBETGHER. nrucumu FILED MAYB, 1011.

1,020,295. Patnted Mar. 12, 1912.

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T. & J. T. LEWIS.

COMBINED QUILTING FRAME AND CURTAIN STRETGHBR.

APPLIOATION FILED MAYB, 1911.

3 mm W t m m THOMAS LEWIS AND JESSE T. LEWIS, OF SMITHFIELD,PENNSYLVANIA.

COMBINED QUILTING-FRAME AND CURTAIN-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 8, 1911.

Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

Serial No. 625,776.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS LEWIS and Jnssn T. LEWIS, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Smithfield, in the county of Fayette andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Combined Quilting-Frames and Curtain-Stretchers; and we do declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will onable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in combined quilting frames andcurtain stretchers.

One object of the invention is to improve the construction of thequilting frame shown in United States Patent No. 701,901, granted toThomas Lewis, June 10, 1902, whereby the same may be employed as acurtain stretcher.

Another object is to provide a device of this character having animproved construction of adjusting mechanism whereby a frame may bereadily raised or lowered and secured at any desired elevation andhaving detachable means for fastening the edges of the curtain thereto.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrange ment of parts aswill be more fully described and particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of ourimproved frame showing the same arranged as a curtain stretcher; Fig. 2is a vertical cross sectional view of the same; Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview of one of the side curtain stretching bars; Fig. 4 is a similarview of one of the end stretching bars; Fig. 5 is a perspective viewshowing the parts arranged as a quilting frame; Fig. 6 is a similar viewof one of the connecting rods employed when the device is used as aquilting frame; Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of one of thefastening rings of the curta n attaching bars. Fig. 8 is a detaillongitudlnal section of the central portion of one of the curtain andquilt supporting bars showing the manner in which the inner ends of thecurtain at taching bars are held in place; Fig. 9 is a cross sectionalview on the line 99 of Fig. 8.

As shown in the accompanying drawings our improved quilting frame andcurtain stretcher comprises end members consisting of pairs of legs 1 inwhich near their lower ends are formed alined bearing apertures 2 withwhich communicate slits 3 as shown. Arranged across the frame is a hingebar t the opposite ends of which are reduced and engaged with thebearing apertures 2 in the legs 1 as shown. By thus hingedly connectingthe legs together they may be opened or closed to support or fold theframe. In order to fasten the legs to the ends of the bar 4, clampingbolts 3 are provided, said bolts being inserted transversely through thelegs and across said slits and having on their ends thumb nuts 4 which,when screwed up clamp the slitted portions of the legs together and thewalls of the apertures 2 into tight engagement with the ends of the bar4. The upper ends of the leg members 1 are slitted longitudinally for asuitable distance as at 5 and have in their outer ends substantiallycircular bearing recesses 6 adapted to receive the cylindrical outerends 7 of ourtain and quilt supporting bars 8.

By slitting the upper ends of the leg members 1 as herein shown anddescribed, said slitted ends form gripping members which are adapted tobe drawn into tight frictional engagement with the cylindrical outerends of the bars 8 by means of clamping bolts 9 and nuts 10 arrangedthrough the outer slitted ends of the legs adjacent to the innerportions of the bearing recesses 6 whereby the bars 8 are securelyfastened in the legs.

In the upper edge of each of the bars 8 is formed a longitudinal grooveor channel 11. WVith the grooves 11 are detachably engaged side curtainattaching bars .12, the bars 12 of each side or bar 8 of the frame beingpreferably formed in two sections, said sections of the bars being heldin the groove 11 by fastening rings 13 which are engaged with and shapedto fit around the cylindrical outer ends of the bars 8 and the adjacentportions of the attaching bars 12 as shown. In the outer edges of theattaching bars 12 are formed a series of outwardly projecting curtainengaging pins 14L into which are hooked the curtain near its side edges.

The curtains are stretched longitudinally by end stretching bars 15 theopposite ends of which rest on the ends of the bars 12 which projectbeyond the legs and have formed therein a series of cord receiving LOOpassages 16 with which are adapted to be engaged stretching cords 17. Inthe bars 15 are arranged upwardly projecting curtain attaching pins 18with which the curtains are adapted to be engaged near their ends. henthe cords 17 are thus engaged with the bars 15 and the curtains attachedto the .latter the cords are drawn back to a sufficient extent tostretch the curtains and are wrapped around and tied to the projectingends of the bars 12 as shown thereby securely fastening the bars 15 andholding the curtain in stretched position. In stretching the curtain theedges of the same are engaged with the pins in the bars 12 and the legsare pressed downwardly thus expanding or forcing the upper ends of thelegs apart until the curtain is stretched to the desired extent, afterwhich the nuts 4- on the clamping bolts 3' are tightened up to hold thelegs in their expanded position and stretch the curtain as described.

When it is desired to use the device as a quilting frame the stretchingbars 12 are removed from the bars 8 and the ends of the quilt wound onand secured to said bars in any suitable manner. When the quilt has beenwound on the bars to the desired extent the nuts 10 on the clampingbolts 9 of the slitted outer ends of the legs are tightened up and thebearing portions 6 in the outer ends of the legs thus drawn into tightengagement with the cylindrical ends 7 of the bars 8 and the latter thussecured against retrograde movement. After the ends of the quilt havethus been secured to the bars the quilt may be stretched to the desiredextent by pressing the upper ends of the legs apart and tightening upthe nuts 4 on the clamping bolts 3 in the same manner as when stretchinga curtain. In order to prevent any possibility of the upper portions ofthe legs moving toward each other while working on the quilt, we providebrace rods 19 having in their ends eyes 20 which are adapted to beengaged with the cylindrical ends 7 of the bars 8 thereby holding theupper ends of the legs expanded. When the rods 19 are thus arranged theeyes of the same will be disposed adjacent to the outer sides of thelegs.

When the device is used as a curtain stretcher the brace rods 19 arepreferably engaged with the lower portions of the legs as shown in Figs.1 and 2 of the drawings whereby the legs are securely braced apart inoperative position. When the rods 19 are thus arranged they are grippedinto firm engagement with the coincident sides of the legs by means ofclamping bolts having one end in the form of hooks 21 adapted to beengaged with the rods while their opposite ends are threaded and havearranged thereon suitable clamping nuts 23 whereby the hooked ends ofthe bolt are drawn into engagement with the rods and the latter thusrigidly clamped to the sides of the legs 1.

The inner ends of the curtain attaching bars 12 are preferably securedin the grooves 11 of the bars 8 by a short cleat or plate 22 which issecured to the bars 8 midway between their ends and across the grooves11 therein. The inner ends of the sections of the attaching bars 12 arenotched at 12 and said notched ends adapted to be engaged with the plateor cleat 22 thereby firmly securing the inner ends of the bars 12 inplace.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the construction and operation of the invention will. bereadily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. A combined quilting frame and ourtain stretcher comprising two pairsof pivotally connected legs having bearing recesses in their upper ends,supporting bars having pins on their bodies and reduced cylindricalextremities ournaled in said recesses and extending beyond the legs,other bars at right angles to the first-named bars and also carryingpins, means for connecting one pair of bars with the other, hook boltspassing through the legs and having adjusting nuts, and brace rods whosebodies are removably engaged by the hooks of said bolts and whoseextremities have eyes adapted to engage the cylindrical ends of saidsupporting bars.

2. In a quilting frame, the combination with two supporting bars havinglongitudinal grooves, and means for supporting said bars in parallelismand spreading them apart; of an attaching bar for each supporting bar,said attaching bar made in two sections having notches at their meetingends and pins projecting outwardly from their bodies, and a cleat in thegroove of the supporting bar adapted to engage said notches when theattaching bar-sections rest inthe groove.

3. A combined quilting frame and curtain stretcher comprising pairs ofpivotally and adjustably connected legs, said legs having slitted outerends provided with bearing recesses, clamping bolts arranged in saidends whereby the slitted portions of the same are drawn together,curtain and quilt supporting bars, said bars having cylindrical outerends adapted to be engaged with said bearing recesses whereby the barsare revolubly supported and clamped in position in said bearingrecesses, said bars having also formed therein longitudinally disposedgrooves, curtain attaching bars arranged in said grooves, said barshaving notched inner ends, cleats arranged on said supporting bars toreceive said notched ends of the attaching bars, fastening ringsarranged on said supporting and attaching bars whereby the latter aresecured at their outer ends, curtain attaching pins arranged on saidbars and adapted to receive the edges of the curtain whereby the lattermay be stretched in one direction by spreading the upper ends of the legmembers, end curtain stretching bars loosely engaged with said attachingbars, stretching cords connected to the outer ends of said attachingbars and having a sliding engagement with said stretching bars wherebythe latter are adjusted to stretch the curtain in the oppositedirection, said cords being secured to the ends of the attaching bars tohold said curtain in stretched position.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

THOMAS LEWIS. JESSE T. LEWIS.

Witnesses:

EDGAR R. ONEIL, H. ONEIL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

